There will be no laying off at Guysuco
By Tajeram Mohabir
Agriculture Minister, Robert Persaud, has assured the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Economic Services that Guysuco workers would not be displaced as a result of its mechanisation plan.

Persaud, addressing the concerns of the Committee at a meeting at Public Buildings, said government has an aggressive programme to retrain and redeploy workers in the value added areas of investment.

The minister, accompanied by top officials of the corporation, also pointed out that currently workers are being trained to be part of the mechanisation programme.

Currently, some 19,000 workers are in the employ of Guysuco, of which 15,000 are full time employees.

This number, he projected, would drop to about 17,000 next year, and would be around 14,000 by 2016.

The minister told the committee that this year the corporation is looking to go about four per cent fully mechanised in reaping and harvesting, 53 per cent semi and 42 per cent manual.

Next year Persaud estimated full mechanisation to increase by 12 percent, 55 per cent semi and manual 33 per cent; and in 2016, full mechanisation to reach 47 per cent, semi 53 per cent, with no manual harvesting.

He said during this period, while there will be a few foreign contractors, Guyanese will largely occupy the labour force.

Currently there are only six foreign contracted workers in the industry, he noted.

Responding to the level of employment in the company from 1992 to present, Persaud said there were some 28,000 fixed and temporary employees in the former years, but this had declined over the years to just over 19,000 persons currently.

He explained the surge in labour in the 1990s was because the industry was going through a crisis with production dipping to around129, 000 tonnes.

Persaud reminded the committee that the situation had forced the then administration to re-hire Booker Tate to expand the corporation’s productive capacity.

Under Booker Tate’s stewardship, the minister recalled, a number of rehabilitation projects were undertaken, as well as investment, giving rise to the surge in labour requirement.

He acknowledged that the move did enable stability in production, but the decline started as most of the recovery work was done, and the subsequent closure of the Versailles factory, among other factors.

The minister stressed that this year, government is looking to spend close to $ 9.7 billion on the Skeldon Sugar Modernisation Project (SSMP) and through the European Union (EU) grant facility, close to $ 820 M on the Enmore packaging plant.

Guysuco will be spending close to $ 1.5 billion of its own money on the SSMP and another billion on capital programmes.

In all, Persaud underlined, some $ 13.2 billion will be spent on the SSMP this year, close to $ 8.4 billion in capital programmes next year, $ 2.3 billion in the same area in 2011, and some $ 3.8 billion in 2016.

Loans accumulated will be paid under their stipulated terms and conditions, and as part of the corporation’s impending business plan, in terms of equity financing, that will be re-paid by fixed returns on the capital per annum.

Persaud underscored that government views the industrial relations aspect of operation seriously, and has always given the workers the best that Guysuco can afford.

He noted that workers are regularly upgraded through training programmes and the union is being encouraged to constantly interact with workers to keep them abreast of latest developments in the industry and the impact on their work.

The minister also noted that the Workers’ Council was resuscitated to improve the overall functions of the estates.

On this note, he disclosed that the corporation’s managerial structure is under review and the process, which will see major reorganisation, will be completed next year.

Persaud said that two experts will be hired in this regard, one to look at ways to improve the entity’s production, and the other to examine strategies to boost the financial operations.

Prison inmates excel at CSEC exam
Superintendent of Prisons Faye Clarke, who also has responsibility for Training, Welfare and Corrections, yesterday said that the rehabilitative work of the prison is to teach inmates both technical and social skills to lead productive lives.

She was at the time addressing the graduation of the music class and the distribution of the CSEC certificates in the Prison Chapel, Camp Street.

Seven inmates of the country’s main penitentiary were successful at this year’s Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC) Examination English examination. Rabindra Rooplall, who was recently exonerated by the court, gained a distinction in English while all others gained passes above Grade Three in the same subject.

Thirty-four other inmates graduated after completing an ‘in-house’ music training programme as part of the Prison’s rehabilitative programme.

The instructions for the CSEC Examination and the music classes were conducted by Prison Fellowship Guyana, which provided teachers, Pastor Colin Caesar (Music) and Erma Bovell (English) for the programme.

The rehabilitative programme is designed to expose as many inmates as possible to different aspects of skills training, since it is seen as one of the ways to reduce repeat offenders.

Professor Vaughn Cook, who delivered the main address, told the inmates that they should take full advantage of the opportunities being offered to them in prison since prison is not the end of their lives.

He urged them never to give up and to surround themselves with people who could contribute positively to their development. Many people, he said, end up in prison not necessarily because they are guilty of the crime they have been charged with, but because of the company they chose.

Both teachers involved in the training encouraged the graduates to continue their studies as their future depends on what they do during the rest of the time they are incarcerated and when they leave the institution. (GINA)

‘The Legend of the Silk Cotton Tree’ --- for CARIFESTA X
ONE of the plays to be presented during the Tenth Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA X) is ‘The Legend of the Silk Cotton Tree’, written and directed by Acting Chair of the Symposia Committee, Mr. Al Creighton, and based on a concept by Barry Braithwaite.

Speaking at the weekly press conference at the CARIFESTA X Secretariat in Middle Street, Georgetown, he said Braithwaite submitted the concept which the CARIFESTA X Committee found to be one of the best.

“Coming out of his concept and his story that he outlined…I fashioned out a play or drama and it is largely based on Guyanese folklore and traditions and so on,” he explained.

“Barry is a very strong researcher in Caribbean tradition and folklore, and he has put the strength of his research into this play,” he observed.

He also noted that he has also done some research in this area.

“So it was not difficult for me to work with Barry in producing this and it basically uses the silk cotton tree as the focus and centre of Caribbean traditions over the centuries; all the way back from the Amerindian inhabitation, coming all the way up to slavery, coming through Indian indentureship in the Caribbean,” he said.

“The silk cotton tree is relevant to all those cultures and the play then focuses on the silk cotton tree as a central symbol,” Creighton reiterated.

“It then goes into a range of Caribbean traditions and I think that one of the things Braithwaite wanted to say is that these traditions and folklores are extremely important to the Caribbean people; but the Caribbean people have tended to give it a kind of a glance where they relegated the whole matter to perhaps backward superstition,” he said.

He said the drama also has a lot to do with the supernatural, hence the supernatural element is very strong in the play.

“It makes a link between the Dutch and the Caribbean mythology, and takes us back to the time of the Dutch occupation of Guyana and the very strong traditions that were left on Guyana since the Dutch occupation, where the whole delving into the supernatural and all that has come down to us since then,” he outlined.

The play basically links the interest in these supernatural traditions by a particular Dutch planter and an African ‘obeah man, he hinted.

“One of the things it points to is that those activities left a mark which is very important at the present time in Guyana, and the play then looks at the present heritage in Guyana which has come down from since those days,” Creighton added.

Free tickets for the CARIFESTA X opening
THE public can win tickets to witness the much anticipated opening ceremony of the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA X) at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara, by simply answering some questions pertaining to the grand opening.

Speaking at the weekly press briefing at the CARIFESTA Secretariat in Middle Street, Georgetown, Artistic Director of CARIFESTA X, Dr. Paloma Mohamed, last Friday, showcasing a figure of a jaguar, said that the jaguar will be one of the animals at the opening ceremony.

“The question for you and the public is how it is going to be used and how big will it be and clues will be on our website and you can write your answer by July 20,” she explained.

She said that the winner will receive a special invitation to the opening ceremony and a CARIFESTA t-shirt.

“From now until the opening, we will give you some clues about elements of the opening show, since you have been so interested in what is going to happen,” the Artistic Director said.

Legal Aid: a vital adjunct to Fundamental Rights and Freedoms
By Mohabir Anil Nandlall MP
Attorney-at-Law
THE PPP/C in its 2006, election manifesto and campaign committed to the people of this country, the provision of a system of justice to which all will have equal access irrespective of race, class, religion, social standing or geographic location.

As part of the discharge of this promise, we have witnessed the expansion of legal aid services from Georgetown in Region Four (4) where it only hitherto existed to the establishment of legal aid centres in Regions Two (2) and Five (5). We also heard a public declaration from Minister Priya Manickchand that similar centres will be established before the end of this year in Regions 6, 10 and 3. In the short period of one (1) year therefore, six (6) of the more populous regions of this country would for the first time in the history of Guyana benefit from the provision of legal aid services funded by the State.

Historical evolution
From since the beginning of civilization, the dominant quest of man has been in large measure the struggle to safeguard against arbitrary invasion of his most cherished and inalienable gift -- his liberty and freedom. Notwithstanding his vast and monumental achievements in political, social, economic and scientific spheres, this struggle has continued and continues unto today unabated.

In pursuit of this elusive dream of a perfect protective system, mechanisms and tribunals of varying and various types have been conceived and designed the world over vesting in them the requisite power and authority aimed at protecting the rights and freedoms of the individual.

The earliest and probably the most important document in English constitutional history establishing in legal terms the rights of the individual is to be found in the Magna Carta (1215) which provided that:-

“No freeman shall be taken and imprisoned, or outlawed or exiled, or in any other way destroyed, nor will we go upon him, except by lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land.

To no one will we sell, to no one will we refuse or delay the right of justice”.

In 1776, the American Declaration of Independence enshrined these hallowed words pertinent to the liberty of the individual:-

“We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these “Rights” Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just power from the consent of the governed”.

The French declaration of Rights of Man (1789) also provides for:-

“the natural and imprescriptible rights of man; liberty, property, security and resistance to oppression”.

Then came the Universal Declaration of Human Rights after World War II which seeks to give recognition to the inherent dignity of man.

The juridical concept and the jurisprudential aspirations of all these declarations form a central scheme of rights referred to as Fundamental Rights and Freedoms which are now a commonplace feature in most modern constitutions in the world. They manifest themselves in the Guyana Constitution in Articles 138 – 151 (inclusive)

Access to Justice
Unfortunately, these rights and freedoms as contained in constitutions will remain banal declarations and will continue to bear but an idealistically hollow ring to the impecunious and indigent amongst us who cannot afford to seek their invocation and protection. Our own Mr. Justice Guya Persaud, in addressing a Conference on “Law and Development” held in Paramaribo from 11th – 15th May, 1977, expressed the following seminal observations on the role of the State in preventing such denial of justice:

“These rights and freedoms of which we speak have been described as fundamental rights. And in a free society… the State must respect those fundamental rights, and must regard them as belonging to or vested in each individual, however high or however low that individual finds himself in the social order of the State, whether placed there by fate, or having achieved it by personal efforts. It is only where the rights of each individual of the state is safeguarded that can it be said that justice is done. This is the very foundation of the law in a free society. Justice may be called justice only if it is denied no man, however unpopular his cause, however reduced his circumstances, and however heinous the charges against him. In other words, there must be universal access to justice”.

Mr. Emery Brownell, a former Executive Director of the National Legal Aid Association of the United States of America, expressed similar sentiments in an address to the Bar Association of the United States:

“True access to justice is achieved only when no person is deterred by financial, psychological or physical barriers from seeking a claim or for defending a civil claim or a criminal charge”…

Further, on the question of justice for all and equal access to the courts, Professor William Vance formerly of Yale University expressed his view on the subject thus:-

“What does it profit a poor and indigent man that he is equal to his strong antagonist before the law if there is no one to inform him of what the law is or that the courts are open to him on the same terms as all other persons when he has not the wherewithal to pay the admission fee”.

The legal profession and Social Justice
It is this very pivotal need for universal access to justice that legal aid seeks to satisfy. In my humble view, the duty to fill this void devolves not only upon every state but also upon the legal profession in every state. The greatest tribute a lawyer can bestow upon his fellow man and upon his profession is to ensure that no individual with a good cause endures a denial of justice merely for the want of lucre. Indeed, in our legal system this principle is held so sacrosanct that it forms part of the oath which a lawyer is required to take before he or she is admitted to practice his or her profession. Legal aid therefore, is not to be regarded as some form of charity or generous dispensation from the profession to some less fortunate as some may think. Legal aid is a duty and stands as a symbol of morality, richness and vitality of the legal profession in whichever society it obtains. The absence of legal aid renders not only the society poorer but the legal profession itself.

Legal aid is a social service which is as fundamental to society as any, if there is to be social cohesion, peace and social justice. Its provision is but one joint enterprise in which the legal profession and the State must necessarily act in concert. I am reminded of the salutary words of P.A. Gajendragadhar, the former Chief Justice of India, in Law Liberty and Social Justice, when his Honour posited that:

“Social justice is not a blind concept or an irrational dogma. It seeks to do justice to all the citizens of the State. Democratic legislatures, therefore, must not show excess valour by over-legislating or imposing unnecessary legislative regulations and prohibitions, in the same way as they must not show timidity in attacking the problem of inequality by refusing to pass the necessary and reasonable regulatory measures at all”.

It is my hope therefore, that in the near future not only will legal aid services be extended to all regions of our country but that the necessary legislation shall be promulgated in our Parliament to make it a permanent feature of our social and legal landscape. For it is only when this goal is achieved can the constitutional guarantee of Equality before the Law have any real meaning.

Cabinet approved development contracts
CABINET has given its ‘no objection’ for several contracts, including the approval of projects to boost the housing and water sector in Regions Three (West Demerara/Essequibo Islands) and Five (Mahaica/Berbice).

This was announced by Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon at his weekly post-Cabinet press conference at the Office of the President, Georgetown.

He said paving of the main access road at La Parfaite Harmonie Housing Scheme, West Bank Demerara, to the tune of $76.4M was approved, and additionally, the clearing of land at Block ‘B’ Tuschen Housing Scheme, East Bank of Essequibo also in Region Three, at $16.01M.

Dr. Luncheon also informed the media that the ‘go-ahead’ was given for the installation of a pure water supply network at Block ‘D’ Bath, on the West Coast Berbice in Region Five, to the value of $24.4M.

Also, in the health sector, for the supply and delivery of anti-retroviral drugs, two awards were made: US$1.543M and the $533, 000.

Digicel celebrates
DIGICEL celebrated its first anniversary in Mabaruma on Saturday evening with a grand party at the L & D Resort in Region One (Barima/Waini) which featured with lots of giveaways.

From left Regional Chairman Mr. Fermin Singh, Digicel Head of Marketing Mr. Donovan White, and Vice Chairman Mr. Paul Pierre outside the Digicel tower in Region One (Barima/Waini) on Saturday.

The event followed a press conference at the same venue on Saturday when Digicel Head of Marketing, Mr. Donovan White, told a press conference that the telecommunication company is geared towards providing a state of the art wireless mobile service to its customers.

He added, “I believe that there is potential among the people who live and work in Mabaruma and we are providing a service that is expanding all the time”.

Mr. White pointed out that since the launch last year, the network is even ‘bigger and better’, offers a wide range of services, and has raised the bar on the communication network in Guyana.

Meanwhile, Regional Chairman Mr. Fermin Singh told a press conference that he is in support of Digicel in the remote region, since residents are enjoying an exciting cutting edge wireless service.

He explained that Digicel has improved the lives of residents in Mabaruma and has even made business more efficient.

“Before Digicel, people had to travel miles from one point to the next to get business done; but now one can simply make a cellular call,” he said.

He urged Digicel to visit the far-fetched areas in Region One and to boost the service in the smaller communities also.

Regional Vice Chairman, Mr. Paul Pierre said the company has certainly improved the lives of residents and has brought about a good change in the region.

Later, Digicel Head of Marketing, Mr. Donovan White, presented the Regional Chairman and Vice Chairman with Digicel gifts.

Food festival to be memorable family affair
THE Grow More Food Festival to be held at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence East Bank Demerara next Saturday is intended to further advance the current campaign to encourage food production for both domestic consumption and export.

The Festival is being held by the Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the New Guyana Marketing Corporation (NGMC) and the Private Sector.

General Manager of the New Guyana Marketing Corporation (NGMC) Mr. Nizam Hassan, disclosed that the Festival aims at heightening awareness about the agricultural opportunities which have arisen due to the current global food challenge.

He stressed that the event will be bigger and more varied than the usual Guyana Night expositions, in that in addition to showcasing goods that are grown and services produced in Guyana, there will be top class entertainment from Super performing Trinidadian artiste Destra Garcia, several other locals, fun rides and other attractions for children, and, tasty dishes prepared from local agricultural produce.

He added: "The entertainment aspects will be blended with serious technology transfer of information on agricultural practices, related information on marketing, research findings, hydromet data and all such related to food production to make a massive difference for all who attend," Hassan said.

"It will be a unique combination of exposition and festivity deliberately geared to providing attractions for all age groups and interests," he said.

The Exhibition will feature crops and livestock produced by farmers from six of Guyana's ten administrative regions.

There will also be exhibits displayed by Food Processors, among whom will be members of the Pomeroon Women's Small Cottage Association, Hassan said.

All produce on exhibition will be available for sale.
Officials of each Department and agency within the Ministry of Agriculture will be present at booths, with exhibits featuring aspects of their work and will also willingly provide information which will be of immense value to kitchen garden owners.

The NGMC will also provide opportunities for producers to interact with buyers to ensure that the marketing aspects are given free rein.

NGMC Marketing Manager Richard Hanif, in charge of logistics for the Festival, assured that arrangements related to security and parking were proceeding smoothly and would be fully in place in time for the event.

Senior Marketing Officer Christopher Chapwanya stressed that the Festival catered for the widest cross section of the public.

He stressed that every effort had been made to make the event a memorable family affair.

Region Two residents first to benefit from family health clinic
ANOTHER big stride has been made to improve the level of local health care with the opening up of a new family health clinic, at Suddie, Region Two.

During a visit to the Region Saturday by Minister of Health Dr Leslie Ramsammy and representatives of the National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS), the clinic housed in the Suddie Public Hospital compound was formally opened.

Established at a cost of about $4M, the clinic will offer testing for malaria, filaria, Tuberculosis (TB), HIV, among other conditions, and is staffed with a team of skilled and professional health personnel.

The Minister said that Guyana has one of the most comprehensive programmes of providing free health care for everyone for all chronic and infectious diseases.

Over the years, there have been significant improvements in the sector, he noted, and the Ministry has been able to provide quality anti-natal care and screening for persons living with HIV, filaria, TB and others.

“We have bought the services near to the people,” he said, urging those present to fully utilize the services.

The Minister said that the ministry has progressed a far way in providing testing and treatment, from the days when there was only one testing site and samples had to be sent to Georgetown. This has changed over the years as people can be tested and screened anywhere in the country for HIV, TB, filaria, malaria, and other infectious and chronic diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension.

The Minister said that more will be done to have persons utilise the services and access treatment.

“We should celebrate, but in celebrating, we should recognize that it can be strengthened.”

According to statistics Guyana, has more than 2000 persons living with HIV. While these are treated with anti-retrovirals equally, the same number is managed but not treated. This, the Minister said, will change as the Ministry is looking to have more persons treated at an earlier stage.

Guyana took the lead in 2001 to produce its own anti- retroviral drugs. “We want to put people on treatment earlier, so where people had to wait, Guyana is saying that they we will not wait.”

He said that people living with HIV do not have to see it as being an extra judicial system, rather the best resort is to get treatment early.

Government spends approximately $12B annually to provide treatment and care for Guyanese, and this comes at great sacrifice and at a time when significant sums have to be spent on services, Minister Ramsammy said.

“We are fortunate to have international partners such as PEPFAR, Global Fund and the World Bank,” he said, noting that these organisations would not be around forever, “but our obligation to treat people will be with us forever.”

He added that while tremendous work is done, focus has to be placed on prevention.

The prevalence of AIDS has declined from three to five per cent to between 1 to 1.5 percent. The Minister said that by any standard, the programme has been successful but “we cannot live on our success, we have to continue to work harder.”

The Minister observed that it is more economical to prevent the disease rather than to treat it. In this regard, he said that it cannot be the Ministry of Health’s job alone, but requires a co-operative effort.
He pointed out that stigma and discrimination continue to be a great challenge and urged that this must not prevent persons from getting tested.

In November 2008, the Ministry will be holding its third national day of testing, the Minister said, explaining that the ministry is hoping to achieve a target of 10,000.

The Ministry has also taken the initiative to ensure that women are given options, since they are usually at a disadvantage. NAPS has been instructed to ensure that women condoms are available.

It was noted also, that despite all the messages, persons are still getting infected.

“For every two persons that are treated, five more get infected.” Minister Ramsammy said.

This is as a result of people’s lifestyle and alcohol. He urged persons to be responsible, to take control, and to live positive lifestyles.

TGIs CEMENT TENT VISITS DAZELLE HOUSING SCHEME